


if you fail, try, try again

by dare121



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Failed Seduction Attempt, Fluff, Oblivious Alex Danvers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-24 00:31:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12001188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dare121/pseuds/dare121
Summary: Alex is feeling absolutely devastated after Maggie tells her at the bar that she doesn't want to be with her.Kara is there to comfort her.And then Kara starts acting weird.or,that time Kara tries to subtly seduce Alex, and Alex is a little bit oblivious





	if you fail, try, try again

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Marakara](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marakara/gifts).



> Look at me wanting to write 1,5k again and coming up with 12k instead. When Will I Learn???
> 
> Anyway, this story is once again for Marakara! Bless your soul, my friend. Bless your soul. I hope you like what I came up with! Same goes for everyone else. Hope you enjoy the ride, folks!

Letting out a slow breath, Alex closed her eyes and relished in the silence of her apartment.

 

After yesterday’s fiasco with Maggie, all she wanted to do was to stay in bed for the rest of her life and avoid any and all contact with women  _ forever _ . There was no way in hell that she was putting herself out there like that again. She’d tried being genuinely interested in someone else and it had blown up in her face - spectacularly. 

 

Curling onto her side, Alex pulled the blanket over her head and her knees to her chest. She’d never felt so stupid in her entire life. When she’d been trying to trick herself into liking men, her feelings had never been on the line. But now that Maggie had helped her see these new possibilities - of a life full of meaning and love and sex she might actually  _ enjoy  _ \- well.

 

Alex wasn’t sure how she was supposed to close herself back up again.

 

And she didn’t just feel put out because she’d fallen on her ass romantically; she’d also lost a new friend who had quickly become near and dear to her. Maggie was an amazing woman and Alex would have liked to work with her more closely. But no. No. Alex had to go and ruin things by projecting her own feelings back onto Maggie. She’d actually thought that Maggie was flirting back - she’d had  _ hope _ , even. 

 

“So fucking stupid.” Alex’s grumbled self-deprecation barely drifted beyond the blanket, and that was just as well. She’d broken down enough the previous night. Hell, she’d yelled at Kara, who really didn’t deserve her ire. Kara had been nothing but supportive, and in a way her arms had been the only thing holding Alex together. Without her there, Alex might have disappeared into a bottle, like so many times before.

 

Still, a part of Alex hated herself for her own weakness; for even having to rely on Kara in the first place. Her little sister. The person Alex was supposed to be protecting. She knew that Kara shared in those feelings and that she’d always try to protect Alex just as much, but Alex had her code. And she didn’t like breaking it - especially for stupid, personal reasons. 

 

Pulling the blanket even tighter around herself, Alex sought to quiet her mind and push those thoughts away. One thing she’d always done well was compartmentalize. Before Kara had become Supergirl, Alex had juggled two entirely separate lives. And if she could do that, she could lie to herself about her feelings.

 

It wouldn’t be easy, but Alex would do everything in her power to ensure she wouldn’t be working with Maggie again. If she didn’t see her, Alex could pretend the woman didn’t exist in the first place. The whole endeavor was childish, of course, but Alex didn’t feel like being an adult about it. 

 

She was mid-huff, when she heard the bedroom door creak open.

 

In an instant, Alex was upright in bed, and her gun would have been in her hand a second later, if she hadn’t recognized the person standing in her doorway.

 

“Kara, what are you still doing here?” Dropping onto her back once more, Alex pushed her hands against her eyes in embarrassment, so she didn’t have to look at her sister anymore. Kara was holding a tray laden with food and what smelled suspiciously like coffee. She was wearing a pair of Alex’s casual boxer shorts and one of Alex’s old and faded Stanford t-shirts. 

 

Vaguely, Alex remembered falling asleep on the couch in Kara’s arms with dried tear tracks on her cheeks. Her little tantrum had taken a while, but Kara hadn’t let her go once. Instead, she’d rocked Alex gently back and forth while whispering encouraging words into her ear.

 

The memory made Alex blush with awkward remembrance.

 

_ Damn it _ .

 

“I thought you might like breakfast in bed after the night you had,” Kara said, sounding entirely too innocent, which made Alex look at her through her fingers. Her sister was standing at the foot of the bed now, and she was holding out the tray as an offering. “I made blueberry pancakes. Your favorite.”

 

It was true - Alex preferred blueberry, even though most of the time she pretended to like strawberry pancakes for Kara’s sake. 

 

Letting out another sigh, Alex sat up against her headboard and waved Kara over, who smiled happily and quickly floated onto the bed, careful not to spill the coffee. Once the tray was placed down, Alex reached for the cup immediately and took a sip. She usually drank it black, but Kara had snuck in a bit of cream and sugar today, because she knew when Alex was upset she tended to enjoy it sweeter.

 

A little part of her started feeling glad that Kara had stayed - or come back.

 

“Were you here all night?” Alex asked, trying to sound casual as she pulled the morning paper that Kara had brought along closer to herself. Not making eye contact was the only way to go at this point, really.

 

“I had to go at around two… the police needed some help with a car chase.” Having taken a seat to Alex’s right, Kara was busy cutting up Alex’s pancakes for her, which only made Alex feel worse. She appreciated Kara for trying to take care of her, she really did, but the gesture didn’t make her feel better. Instead, it drove home the point that she had  _ failed _ . 

 

Setting down the newspaper again, Alex cradled her cup of coffee in between both of her hands.

 

“You really didn’t have to do all of this… I promise I’m fine,” she said, watching as Kara continued to cut up her breakfast for her. “I don’t want to put you out too much - I’m sure you have other things to do.”

 

With a small sigh, Kara set down the knife and placed her chin on Alex’s shoulder.

 

“There’s nothing that’s more important than you,” Kara replied, wrapping her now free, left hand around Alex’s waist so she could snuggle in closer. Her body was warm and reassuring and Alex couldn’t deny that hearing those words made her feel good inside. “I think you were really brave.”

 

“I was stupid.” Alex’s rebuttal to Kara’s loving assertion was instantaneous.

 

“You were not stupid.” Piercing a square of pancake, Kara lifted up the fork - and instead of sticking it into her own mouth, she held it out for Alex. “Now, you eat this, while I tell you about how amazing you are and how much I envy your courage.”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Alex was more than ready to keep her mouth firmly shut. She didn’t need to be fed, for heaven’s sake. But Kara wouldn’t be so easily deterred - she never was. 

 

“Shut up and eat your pancakes.” 

 

Without saying another word, Alex opened her mouth and allowed her sister to deposit the food. If she was agreeable, she’d get out of this love fest much sooner than she would if she put up a fight. 

 

While Kara speared a strawberry, Alex leaned back against the headboard, forcing her sister to remove her chin from her shoulder and her arm from around her waist. The physical contact and the knowledge that Kara still loved her just as much as she had the day before was making it difficult for Alex to wallow in self-pity.

 

“I’m proud of you for going out there and telling Maggie how you feel,” Kara started, pulling her legs in so she was sitting cross-legged on the bed. The strawberry made its way into Alex’s mouth next. “You’re the bravest person I’ve ever met. Remember what I did when I realized I liked James? I did nothing and then Lucy came back into his life.” 

 

Looking away from Kara, Alex chewed silently.

 

She didn’t want to hear any of this.

 

“Honestly, you… I don’t think you realize how special you are.” 

 

Alex’s mouth was already open to refute this point, but before she could utter even a single syllable, Kara’s super speed had kicked in. Without missing a beat, she’d shoved two more pieces of pancake into Alex’s mouth.

 

“You’re the most beautiful, most wonderful, most intelligent person I’ve ever known.” Kara’s words were almost desperately tender, and Alex felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. “And if Maggie can’t see that, then I’m sure someone else will. Someone who deserves you.” 

 

Putting down the fork, Kara took Alex’s right hand into both of hers.

 

“You know… I wasn’t completely honest with you yesterday…” Kara said quietly, gnawing on her bottom lip. The words almost made Alex’s heart stop. Had Kara’s support been a fluke all along? Maybe Kara didn’t accept her after all. Maybe… “I… I don’t just relate to how you feel because I’ve had to hide the fact that I’m Kryptonian.”

 

Alex’s brows furrowed.

 

“What do you mean?” She felt more like herself in an instant, because this was Big Sister Territory. This sounded an awful lot like Kara wanted to come out to her as well, something which Alex wouldn’t have suspected in a million years. Her sister had only ever been interested in boys - at least she’d only ever talked about liking that particular gender. But then again, until recently, Alex hadn’t realized that  _ she  _ was gay, either.

 

“I didn’t want to make it all about myself again, but I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while and it just never seemed like the right time. With the whole Supergirl thing and the DEO and then Cadmus…” Kara’s cheeks were red, and Alex felt just a bit like she was an outside observer looking in, staring down at both of them as they navigated each other’s awkwardness.

 

After she’d put down her coffee cup on the tray, Alex placed her hand on Kara’s wrist to reassure her. 

 

This was good.

 

Talking about Kara was better than thinking about herself.

 

“I’m bisexual,” Kara said, looking directly into Alex’s eyes. She didn’t exactly look scared or like Alex would reject her. Instead, there was something searching in her gaze, like she wondered what Alex’s reply to this revelation would be. 

 

For a few seconds, all Alex could do was stare.

 

Then she opened her mouth.

 

“Oh.”

 

“Yeah,” Kara said, looking down at their intertwined hands.

 

Alex’s left eyelid twitched, and she let out a long, slow breath. 

 

“I guess we still can’t do anything apart. We even have to be… you know…  _ different  _ together.” All of it was still too new. It was too soon for Alex to use the word gay, let alone  _ lesbian _ . To her, it had always sounded like an insult, no different than the million other slurs she’d heard from classmates and adults growing up. These words that were used to slice into people. 

 

She wasn’t ready to cut herself in that way.

 

Not yet.

 

Not before she knew the wounds would heal.

 

“We really are sisters,” Alex added, pulling her hand away from Kara so she could run it through her own hair in exasperation. “Mom is going to have a fucking field day.” She was so caught up in imagining her mother’s reaction that she didn’t catch the small wince from Kara at the mention of their  _ sisterhood _ . 

 

On a logical level, Alex knew her mother wasn’t homophobic. In all the years Alex had been alive, she’d never heard a single disparaging word about the queer community come out of her mother’s mouth. But then again, she’d also never heard anything  _ positive  _ said about the topic in their household. It had always been somewhat of a non-issue. 

 

But now  _ Alex  _ was gay.

 

And Kara was bi.

 

“You should finish your breakfast,” Kara said gently, picking up a glass of orange juice she’d clearly poured for herself. “I don’t think you had any dinner last night, so…” She gestured at the tray. “I need to keep you fed and happy.”

 

Chuckling despite her dark thoughts, Alex picked up her fork.

 

“Oh, now I’m allowed to feed myself?” she asked sarcastically, raising one eyebrow at Kara.

 

With a shake of her head, Kara pressed a sweet kiss against Alex’s cheek.

  
“Shut up.”

 

-

 

A week later, Alex and Kara were having one of their regularly scheduled sister nights. Mon-El had been left in the care of the DEO, and Alex had pushed all of her experiments onto her assistant to monitor. She’d also declined Maggie’s invitation to the bar to hang out. The wound was still too fresh, and Alex couldn’t bear looking at her friend. 

 

Her  _ friend _ .

 

She needed to keep that in mind.

 

There was no way Maggie would ever see her as more than that - not after the way Alex had behaved towards her, anyway. Not after Alex had told her that she thought Maggie was amazing, and that she’d only come out for her. Because clearly, that only seemed to strengthen Maggie’s assumptions that they weren’t right for each other

 

“You’re especially tense tonight,” Kara said softly, turning her face away from the TV so she could look at Alex. Their sides were pressed together, as they usually were when they were hanging out on the couch, and so of course she’d immediately picked up on the fact that Alex’s mind had been drifting into dangerous territory. “Want to talk about it?”

 

Screwing up her face in consternation, Alex snuggled further into Kara’s side and rolled her eyes at her own stupidity. Thinking about Maggie wasn’t going to make her feelings disappear any faster. Especially not when Alex imagined her beautiful eyes, and the way her cheeks dimpled when she smiled…

 

“It’s just more of the same,” Alex grumbled, sighing appreciatively when Kara wrapped her arm around her shoulders and a kiss was pressed against her hair. “More Maggie shit.” She shouldn’t have told Maggie that she’d only come out for her.

 

She shouldn’t have.

 

It was stupid.

 

So stupid.

 

Humming sympathetically, Kara rubbed her hand along Alex’s upper arm. 

 

“Alright, no talking,” Kara agreed, before slowly sitting up and wriggling out from under Alex’s cheek. The fact that she was moving didn’t sit very well with Alex, who - despite her Maggie-panic - had been enjoying Kara’s warm and reassuring presence.

 

“What are you doing?” Alex whined, slumping against the back of the couch and giving Kara a pout - something which no one else was ever allowed to bear witness to. 

 

“I’m giving you a massage,” Kara answered decisively, bringing her hand down to Alex’s knee. “All of this romance and coming out stuff… like I said, it’s making you tense. And then Cadmus and Mon-El and, you know, your dad… I think you deserve some love.” She gently stroked Alex’s thigh, sparking something weird in Alex’s chest.

 

Before she could investigate that feeling, she stomped it down.

 

There was no way she was passing up a massage from Kara. Because of her Kryptonian senses, she always knew just where and how to touch Alex. She knew which pressure points to hit and how to help her relax, even when she felt like the stress was about to kill her.

 

“You’re the best,” Alex groaned, already in the process of turning over and onto her stomach so they could get started as quickly as possible. “Tomorrow, the extra potstickers are on me.” It was a small price to pay for what was about to happen; and even though Kara wouldn’t have asked for anything in return, Alex liked doing nice things for her sister.

 

She was just about to lay down, when she felt Kara squeeze her knee.

 

“I was actually thinking we could move to the bed. I bought this new massaging oil a couple of days ago and I think it’d be better if we didn’t get that all over the couch. I can change the sheets in the bedroom later.” Kara didn’t sound nervous, but there was still something suspicious about her tone. 

 

And the fact that she’d just so happened to buy massage oil…

 

“Did you plan this?” Alex asked, squinting at her sister and trying to figure her out.

 

Kara sighed.

 

“You work too hard.  _ And  _ you worry too much. I’m well within my right to plan nice things for you.” Huffing, Kara got to her feet and made her way over to her bedroom. “I’m going to spread some towels on the bed, alright? Come on.”

 

Grumbling quietly - though secretly pleased that Kara cared about her so much - Alex hefted herself off the couch and followed after her sister. 

 

She’d definitely have to buy more than one extra helping of potstickers tomorrow.

 

Once the towels were laid out, Kara looked expectantly at Alex, who blankly stared back at her. There was that weird thing in her sister’s eyes again, though Alex couldn’t quite put her finger on what was going on with her.

 

“Well?” Kara asked, nodding towards Alex. “If I’m going to use oil…”

 

It took just a few seconds for Alex to get the hint this time.

 

“Oh, right,” she said, looking down at her soft blue and white plaid shirt. Without hesitation, she started unbuttoning it. Over the years, Alex and Kara had undressed in front of each other many times, especially when they’d been teenagers. Besides, missions for the DEO tended to end in blood when Kara and Alex were involved, and Kara usually preferred for Alex to treat her wounds.

 

As soon as she’d shucked off her shirt, she unclasped her bra and let it sink onto the floor as well. Feeling supremely unperturbed by her own nakedness, Alex sat down on the bed, before laying down on her stomach.

 

Kara’s sheets were soft, and Alex immediately closed her eyes to soak in the feeling of relaxation. Even from a young age, she’d always felt safe with Kara, and this time was no different. 

 

“Have you been working out more? I feel like your back muscles are more pronounced than usual.” Kara’s voice was quiet and gentle, and her warm hand tenderly stroked along Alex’s spine. She hadn’t poured on the oil yet, but her touch alone was enough to melt Alex into a puddle of peacefulness. At the moment, Kara was exerting barely any pressure - instead, she softly drew the tips of her fingers over and along Alex’s skin, drawing shapes and symbols onto her shoulder blades.

 

“Different workout routine,” Alex mumbled into the pillow, feeling the hairs on her arms rise to attention at the loving caresses. It had been a while since they’d gone full out with the massaging like this, and Alex had to admit that she’d missed it. 

 

“It looks nice,” Kara said, swinging her legs over Alex’s and taking a seat on her butt. The next time her hands touched Alex - who felt like she was floating in a sea of tranquility - they were warm and oily and Alex let out an unholy moan at the way Kara’s palms were pressing down on her spine.

 

For a couple of moments, the room was filled with nothing but Alex’s sighs of enjoyment while Kara’s fingers kneaded and stroked her back. Alex’s spine had cracked audibly at least three times in different places, causing Kara to tut quietly to herself - Alex tended to hunch in front of her work station at the lab.

 

“You know…” Kara started slowly, pressing her thumbs along each of Alex’s vertebrae. “Tina from accounting at CatCo thinks you’re really cute.” 

 

The oil had brought a sweet smell of roses and strawberries to the room, only pushing Alex further into sweet oblivion. 

 

“Hm?” Alex uttered, barely considering what Kara had just revealed to her. 

 

“Yeah, she asked me if you’re single,” Kara continued, sliding her fingers over Alex’s sides and digging in her nails a little at her lower back. The touch pulled another gentle sigh from her. “I’m just saying… there are so many women who would just love to go out with you. Women who’d appreciate you for everything you are. And they might be closer than you think. I know you probably don’t want to think about this yet, but you’re a catch, Alex. You’re… everything.”

 

A soft snort left Alex’s nose.

 

“Everything awful,” she slurred, which earned her a squeeze to the waist that was perhaps a little too tight to be part of a massage.

 

“What am I going to do with you?” Kara asked - seemingly mostly to herself - before pressing a loving kiss against Alex’s hair. Her hands were pushing against Alex’s shoulders, forcing her harder into the mattress, and Alex surrendered to the feeling of being trapped underneath her sister. It wasn’t a threatening feeling at all. Rather, it made her feel safe. 

 

With Kara’s body covering her own, there was nothing that could hurt her. 

 

Not even her thoughts about Maggie.

 

“Love you,” Alex mumbled, keeping her eyes firmly shut so there was no chance she’d even spot a glimpse of Kara’s reaction to her heartfelt admission. They said ‘I love you’ all the time to one another, but there was a difference between the quick ‘I love yous’ they tossed out daily, and the one she’d spoken just now.

 

“I love you, too,” Kara whispered, before she pressed her clothed front against Alex’s bare back, clothing be damned, evidently. Her arms slipped down Alex’s bare arms, which were laying up over Alex’s head, and her nose settled against the nape of Alex’s neck.

 

Almost as one, they sighed in contentment, and for the first time in over a week, Alex’s mind was completely free of a certain detective.

 

-

 

“Oh, look at that, they’re having a sale!” Kara exclaimed excitedly, grabbing Alex by the hand and pulling her along towards the shop she had been eyeing. 

 

Two weeks after the massage that had ended in an entirely too oily cuddle fest, Kara had dragged Alex out of the DEO and away from the Cadmus problem. Now, they were walking around one of the many malls in National City, after Kara had stuffed her face with multiple hot dogs at the hot dog stand around the corner. 

 

Even though Mon-El had clearly been looking to tag along, Kara had very sternly told him to stay at the DEO and hang out with Winn or to bother someone else. Ever since she’d caught him roughing up aliens for money, their friendship had fractured a little, and Alex suspected that it had more to do with what Mon-El had thrown in Kara’s face about her being selfish and liking the attention that being Supergirl brought her. 

 

Alex was still planning her revenge.

 

“Are you serious?” Alex asked, feeling a little bit exasperated as she followed Kara into the underwear shop. “Your closet is already bursting at the seams, Kar. I really don’t think you need another pair of panties.”

 

Huffing a little, Kara pulled her right past the regular pairs of underpants and towards the lingerie section, which didn’t make Alex feel any better. Especially because it would mean that Alex would have to sit around outside of Kara’s dressing room and wait for her to finish trying on all of the things she’d picked out. 

 

She’d probably end up playing around on her phone for an hour, and that wasn’t exactly what Alex had had in mind when she’d let herself get talked into this impromptu trip. After all, she could be at the DEO right now, testing the latest alien weapon that Cadmus had released on the public.

 

“Help me choose,” Kara implored her, tugging Alex over to the first lingerie stand she saw. “Which do you think would look the best on me? I want to look really sexy.” Next, she picked up a red lacy bra and held it up against her chest, forcing Alex to look down.

 

“I don’t know, I think you’d look great in just about any of these.” She eyed a pair of black, crotchless panties skeptically. “I can’t believe you have to pay forty bucks for something that doesn’t even cover your vag.”

 

Giggling, Kara bumped her shoulder against Alex’s.

 

“Especially when you can just buy a regular pair of panties and cut out whatever you want yourself.” Kara’s hand was still holding onto Alex, and she waved their entwined fingers back and forth a little. “Although, I mean… I bet there’s something sexy about wearing that on a night out…”

 

Alex’s face flushed immediately.

 

“Please don’t ever tell me if you’re wearing something like that to a party,” she groaned, rubbing her cheek with her free hand. “I don’t need another reason to worry about you exposing yourself.”

 

“You think you’re so hilarious,” Kara teased her, digging the fingers of her right hand into Alex’s side to tickle her. Once she’d squirmed away, Kara started picking out pairs of lingerie while Alex silently sulked behind her.

 

“Maybe you should have taken Mon-El with you after all. I’m sure he would appreciate this more than me.” Leaning against the wall, Alex pulled her phone from her pocket, checking to see if Maggie had left her a text message. Even though they’d smoothed things over between them, Alex still felt attracted to her friend - and a part of her hoped that Maggie would come around. “Not that I’ve changed my mind on the subject, by the way. I’m still not letting you date him.”

 

Kara’s annoyed noise of dissent made Alex grin quietly.

 

“Can you stop insinuating that I like him, please? I’ve told you a million times that I’m not interested. He’s not my type.” The corners of Kara’s mouth lowered even further as she clearly imagined a world where she and Mon-El had become an item. 

 

“Thankfully, we don’t live in the dark timeline where you decide to give him a chance,” Alex needled her further, picking up another pair of crotchless panties and holding it up. “I mean, do people need this? How hard is it to get into someone’s underwear,  _ really _ .”

 

Snatching it out of Alex’s hands, Kara rolled her eyes.

 

“It’s about the thought that your partner is ready for you at all times,” she whispered, clearly trying to avoid anyone overhearing their conversation. “It’s about fantasy and  _ allure _ .” She poked Alex in the stomach. “Something about which you clearly know nothing, Agent Danvers.”

 

“Clearly,” Alex replied dryly, following after Kara, who had taken the pair of crotchless underwear with her out of spite. They could already see the dressing rooms, and Alex wondered how long it would take Kara to try on the six different pairs of panties and bras she was holding in her arms.

 

As soon as Kara had vanished, Alex sat down on the black leather couch that had been placed opposite the dressing rooms, and looked down at her phone once more. Still no message from Maggie, even though Alex had texted her over two hours ago.

 

The thought depressed Alex more than she wanted to admit.

 

Instead of dwelling on it, she opened up the notes she’d made about her latest project. She and Winn were still trying to work out the kryptonite shield Kara and Clark had worn during their fight against Metallo. Having it placed so vulnerably across the chest wasn’t ideal in the slightest, but they were having trouble extending the capabilities of the technology. 

 

She’d just gotten caught up in one of the notes she’d taken earlier, when the door to Kara’s dressing room opened.

 

Alex almost dropped her phone.

 

“What do you think?” Kara asked, waving at the lingerie she had put on. It was electric blue just like her Supergirl suit and perfectly complimented her eyes, as well as… several other parts of her body. Her nipples were visible through the thin material, and when Kara turned around, Alex’s eyes fell down to Kara’s almost bare ass. The back of her panties barely covered the asscheeks at all.

 

“I really don’t think I should be the judge of this,” Alex said, trying to swallow the excess saliva in her mouth while speaking. Frankly, it was a miracle she didn’t choke on her own spit. She wasn’t even sure why she was reacting this way. She’d seen Kara in less than lingerie before. An uncountable amount of times. 

 

Maybe it was the setting that was making this so weird.

 

Or maybe it was the way Kara was looking at her - almost expectantly.

 

“Come on, Alex, I trust your opinion, even if you fail at subtlety and romance.” Kara’s voice was insistent, and she took a few more steps towards Alex, bringing her tight and muscled body even closer.

 

Alex wished there were a clerk or a salesperson with them so she could have someone else draw attention away from herself. This was so not how Alex should be seeing her  _ little sister _ . This felt entirely too sexual.

 

Especially because she was pretty sure Kara wasn’t thinking about it in the same terms. Obviously, there was no way Kara would ever have ulterior motives for taking her on a shopping spree like this. She really did value Alex’s opinion, and here Alex was - staring at her sister. Like a  _ weirdo _ .

 

“It’s definitely your color,” Alex said, keeping her eyes firmly placed on Kara’s face and trying to suppress the heat crawling up her neck and rising to her cheeks. She was being a terrible sister. “I’m sure whoever you wear it for will be very happy.”

 

Not that she wanted to think about that.

 

Imagining Kara with  _ anyone  _ made Alex feel strange. It was a sensation not too dissimilar to Alex’s urge to  _ protect _ . To shield Kara from whoever might come too close to her. For months, she’d felt the same about James, even while he and Kara hadn’t been together. On a logical level, Alex had known that James was a decent guy. He had flaws, but they were all difficult in their own ways. And yet...

 

“Thanks, Alex,” Kara said, leaning down so she could give Alex a hug. 

 

The whole thing almost made Alex have a conniption.

 

Really, this should have been no different from their massage cuddle.

 

And yet.

 

And yet.

 

-

 

Slumping down on the couch in Kara’s apartment, Alex let out a disgruntled noise. The beer she’d brought was growing warm on the dining table and the three extra pizzas had been devoured in record time almost before Alex had even had the opportunity to digest the bad news.

 

“I’m so sorry, Alex,” Kara said, leaning over the back of the couch wearing nothing but her bra and panties and giving Alex an apologetic grimace. “I swear I didn’t hear about this party until about ten minutes ago.”

 

Apparently, some important politician had surprisingly turned up in National City and Snapper wanted Kara to cover the story. Clearly, the man was trying to kill every last joy in Kara’s life, and Alex didn’t appreciate that one bit.

 

She’d been looking forward to another sister night; she’d even held off on watching the new  _ Wynonna Earp _ episode because she and Kara hadn’t gotten to watch it together the week before. And now what? Now she was supposed to go back home and sulk while Kara got cozy with creepy old men at a gala somewhere?

 

All while she knew that Maggie was on a date with some woman she’d met at a crime scene.

 

Some woman who for some reason couldn’t be Alex. Just because she hadn’t been aware of her sexuality until about two months ago. 

 

Not that she was still bitter about the whole thing.

 

Not at all.

 

“It’s fine. I’m more worried about how your night’s going to go,” Alex said, sitting up and patting Kara’s forearm. “I’m not the one who has to cozy up to gross government officials for a quote.” She smiled sympathetically at her sister, before shooing her back to the bedroom. “Go get ready. I’ll find something else to do.”

 

Tonight, Alex would most definitely not go to the alien bar. The chances of meeting Maggie there with her date were way too high; and while Alex was slowly growing comfortable with the idea that she and Maggie would never be, she didn’t need to see her crush giving another woman romantic attention.

 

No way.

 

She wasn’t that much of a masochist.

 

“Thanks for the reminder,” Kara said with a roll of her eyes. Tipping forward once more, she laid a sweet kiss on Alex’s cheek. “Please tell me you won’t just sit in your apartment and drink alcohol or something.”

 

Her expression was stern, and Alex gave her sister an answering eye-roll, before shooing her away once more. This time, Kara listened and walked into her bedroom, while Alex pulled out her phone in resignation.

 

She needed to stop checking her phone for messages from Maggie.

 

Putting it facedown on the coffee table, Alex contemplated turning on the television, but she was strangely enjoying the calm and the silence of her sister’s apartment. She never felt this relaxed at her own place anymore. Stretching out on the couch again, Alex pulled the blanket at the bottom of the couch over her torso and buried her face in the soft fabric. Kara’s scent clung to it, only serving to make Alex feel even more serene. 

 

A few minutes later - Alex had been on the brink of falling asleep - Kara returned from her bedroom, her feet making little  _ pat pat pat _ sounds on the hardwood floor. The familiarity of it all made Alex smile.

 

“Hey, Al, can you help me with something?” Kara asked softly, stopping in front of the couch and looking down at Alex, who grunted unhappily, before burrowing further under the blanket. Being around Kara was always nice - Alex never had to put on the tough veneer she wore like a second skin on most days. Around Kara, she could be silly and petulant.

 

A chuckle of fond exasperation passed Kara’s lips, before she brought her right hand to Alex’s forehead and tapped it gently.

 

“I can’t zip up my dress properly. Can you please help me?” Her words made Alex open her eyes, and she squinted up at Kara with a raised eyebrow, before she slowly sat up. The blue dress Kara was wearing looked new, and Alex was surprised that she hadn’t seen it before. It cut off right below the knees and showed off a good amount of cleavage. 

 

Alex sort of wanted to wrap her leather jacket around Kara and zip it all the way up. The thought of those old male politicians leering at Kara was more than unsavory. 

 

“When did you get this?” Alex asked as she pushed herself to her feet and motioned for Kara to turn around so Alex would have access to her back. 

 

The smooth expanse of skin before her looked as unblemished as always, and Alex shook her head when she saw that Kara was wearing one of the strapless bras the two had bought together a couple of weeks ago. It wasn’t one of the pieces of lingerie, however, for which she was strangely grateful. Alex still felt a little awkward about that whole encounter, even though Kara hadn’t said anything about her strange behavior. Which either meant that she was being tactful, or that she really hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary.

 

“I went shopping with Lucy,” Kara replied, taking a half-step backwards to get closer to Alex, who took the hint and brought her hands forward. She placed one on Kara’s waist, and grabbed the zipper at the small of Kara’s back with the other. 

 

“It looks nice.” Slowly, Alex pulled up the zipper, watching as the two sides fell together seamlessly. “Although I think it’s a bit wasted on the people you’ll see at the gala.” Once the zipper was closed, Alex smoothed her hands over the back of the dress and gave Kara’s waist a squeeze. “Maybe you’ll meet someone nice who isn’t over sixty years old.”

 

Chuckling, Kara turned around and fluttered her eyelashes at Alex in an exaggerated manner.

 

“Why do I need to meet anyone, when I already have you?” she whispered with a wink, making Alex laugh and shake her head.

 

Her sister really was a charmer.

 

-

 

Juggling the four boxes of pizza and a sixpack of root beer (Kara had asked her to cut back on her alcohol consumption), as well as the bag that held Alex’s DVD boxset of  _ Sex and the City _ seasons one through six (a guilty pleasure), Alex hoped and prayed that their sister night wouldn’t be interrupted yet again. After the stupid gala, Kara had been called away on Supergirl duty during four of the five times the two of them had hung out since. Honestly, Alex was contemplating hunting down Cadmus by herself just so she could get a bit of free time with her sister.

 

And the safe return of her father would have just been the cherry on the top at this point, considering that Kara had actually  _ spoken  _ to him - considering that, after all these years, it had turned out that he was  _ alive _ . 

 

Quickening her steps, Alex jogged from the elevator to Kara’s apartment door. The sooner she was there, the more time she could spend with Kara. Right now, Alex needed all the support she could get.

 

Her father was still being held somewhere at Cadmus, Mon-El was wreaking havoc on the city as Kara’s apprentice, and Maggie had started dating the woman she’d met at that damn crime scene. Her name was Kate, and the way Maggie looked at her made Alex want to throw up. 

 

At this point, Alex was pretty sure she’d moved on (mostly), but seeing the two of them together at the bar always sent a stab of jealousy straight to her heart. Although she was glad she’d been able to keep Maggie as a friend - she really was a remarkable woman, even if she didn’t want Alex like that.

 

Since her hands were full, Alex used her forehead to ring Kara’s doorbell, quietly hoping that her sister would hurry up and maybe pour on the superspeed a little. Since Kara usually x-rayed her door anyway before she opened it, she’d be able to see just how many things Alex was carrying.

 

Tapping her foot up and down, Alex waited for a couple of seconds, furrowing her brows when the door didn’t immediately swing open. Kara was sure taking her sweet time today. When a whole thirty seconds had passed, Alex contemplated setting down her load and simply using her own key.

 

But just a moment later, the door finally swung open.

 

“Hey, sorry, I was in the shower,” Kara said, her hand still firmly wrapped around the doorknob. 

 

That much was obvious, at least, since Kara was wrapped in a fluffy white terrycloth bathrobe, which was only rudimentarily belted at her waist. Her hair was wet and there were rivulets of water running down in between her breasts, which were entirely too visible despite the robe. And yet, somehow, it seemed to Alex as though Kara’s make-up was suspiciously intact.

 

“Were you expecting someone else?” Alex asked sarcastically, nodding at the display of wet, naked cleavage, before shouldering her way past Kara and into the apartment so she could put down the pizza and cans. “Close the door before someone sees you like that.”

 

If Alex would have turned around even a second earlier, she would have seen the disappointed pout on her sister’s face. Alas, all she saw was Kara rolling her eyes and marching into her bathroom to finish the shower Alex had interrupted.

 

Chuckling quietly to herself, Alex cracked open a root beer and settled in front of the television with an open box of pizza.

 

And if the sight of those droplets of water on Kara’s chest were running through her mind, then that was definitely just because the whole situation had been absolutely ridiculous. 

 

-

 

“Hand me the wrench, please,” Alex said absentmindedly to Winn, who handed the tool over without comment. They were both still working diligently on the kryptonite shield, and Alex had just been assaulted by the flash of a new idea. “Maybe… just a little…”

 

Winn was staring down at their notes and rubbing his chin. He’d taken off his dark blue cardigan hours ago and had taken to fiddling with his tie from time to time, while Alex usually started pulling her hair several hours into a project. They hardly spoke, and Alex liked it that way. Somehow, the two had fallen into the perfect co-working relationship without even meaning to, and Alex appreciated that greatly.

 

Their contemplative silence was broken,however, when Kara swooped into the room, clad as always in her Supergirl suit and holding a paper bag. “Time for the two of you to stop working and get some lunch,” she said, leaning down to Alex and giving her a sweet kiss on the cheek. Next, she patted Winn on the shoulder and smiled at them both. “Put down the tools and follow me.”

 

“All that’s missing is you calling us nerds,” Alex said fondly, even though she immediately obeyed her sister’s instructions and put down the wrench. Her words made Kara huff and cross her arms over her chest, the paper bag still dangling from her fingers.

 

“I would never,” she defended herself, sticking her tongue out at Alex, who chuckled and followed Kara to their favorite lunch spot with Winn trailing after them, amusement clear as day on his face. 

 

The three of them settled down on the chairs in the conference room with the best view, where Kara handed out the different boxes she’d brought in her bag. A chicken caesar salad for Winn, alongside a hefty helping of fries; an extra spicy taco with a side salad from the vendor around the corner for Alex, as well as a healthy smoothie from their favorite shop in New York; and two boxes filled to the brim with potstickers and spring rolls for Kara, who would likely get herself another two or three snacks on the way back to CatCo’s.

 

“You’re the best,” Alex moaned through a mouth full of taco, although since Winn was there as well, she at least had the decency to hold a hand in front of her mouth. Maybe once they’d worked together for longer, she’d give up the pretense of manners entirely.

 

“You’re welcome,” Kara sing-songed, opening up her boxes and fishing out the first potsticker. “Can't leave my buddies to starve.” Her obvious relaxation and levity made Alex smile - seeing Kara happy never failed to do the same for Alex. 

 

“We appreciate it,” Winn chimed in, pulling the French fry in his hand through the ketchup on the side. 

 

For a couple of minutes, the three of them sat in companionable silence while they ate, and Alex allowed herself to relax just a little bit. She was still alert, but she didn't listen for every little noise around her. Ever since Kara had instituted these more regular lunches, Alex had found a glimpse of sanity at work in between all the chaos.

 

“So, any hot new gossip from the office?” Winn asked as he leaned back in his chair and pushed the empty salad bowl away from himself to focus on the fries. “Is Evie still pining after Mon-El?”

 

Kara rolled her eyes while Alex smirked.

 

“No, thank heavens. I think she's finally over him.” Wiping imaginary sweat from her brow, Kara grimaced at Winn.

 

Now Alex sniggered. 

 

“Well, if you go for style over substance…” she said, raising an eyebrow at Kara, who gave her a small scowl.

 

“Don't be mean,” Kara said, kicking Alex under the table. “It’s not Mon-El’s fault that Daxam ruined him. We just need to show him a better way.” She nudged Alex again. “ _ All _ of us. Mon-El could learn so much from you.”

 

Alex’s raised eyebrow did not lower.

 

“Maybe he should stay single until you’ve kicked him into shape. Just a suggestion.” She shrugged, before offering the final sip of her smoothie to Winn, who took it gladly. 

 

“Anyway,” he interrupted the bickering, drawing Kara’s attention back to himself. “Anything else I need to know about?” He pushed the rest of his fries over to Alex, who poured half of them into one of Kara’s empty boxes. 

 

“Just the usual.” Kara shrugged and stuffed a handful of fries into her mouth. “Speculations about Ms. Grant’s current whereabouts based on the hints in her company e-mails; people wondering when James is going to fire the new IT guy for messing up the security system.” Another shrug, followed by Kara leaning back in her chair. She gave Alex a curious look.

 

“What? Do I have something on my face?” Alex asked, wiping at the corners of her mouth. Maybe she hadn’t quite gotten rid of the remnants of her taco’s spicy sauce. 

 

“No, no, you’re good,” Kara reassured her with a smile, reaching out and grasping Alex’s forearm. “It’s just that the new guy who took over James’s old job asked me how my cool girlfriend is doing.” While Alex tried to make sense of the words she’d just heard, Kara looked to Winn. “Did you meet Phil before you left?”

 

“Nope! I moved all of my stuff out of the office as soon as I could and never looked back.” Winn folded his hands on top of his stomach and closed his eyes, clearly unperturbed by the whole ‘girlfriend’ comment. 

 

“Come on, working for CatCo wasn’t  _ that  _ bad, was it?” Kara’s look was almost stern, but that wasn’t what Alex had an issue with - how had neither of them addressed what was truly important in this conversation?

 

“Toyman. Junior. That’s all I have to say about that,” Winn replied testily, keeping his eyes firmly shut while Kara pouted. To her credit, she didn’t try to justify Cat’s inconsiderate comment.

 

“Excuse me,” Alex interjected, laying both of her hands flat on the table. “What girlfriend was that guy talking about and why haven’t I heard about this yet?” There was an edge of hurt in Alex’s voice that she couldn’t suppress, because why hadn’t Kara said anything to her? They spent nearly every waking moment together on certain days, and yet Kara had somehow found the time to not only have a girlfriend but to keep it a secret from Alex?

 

There was something decidedly unpleasant about that thought.

 

When Kara rolled her eyes, Alex scowled at her.

 

“He was talking about  _ you _ , dummy,” Kara explained before the situation could escalate any further. Though this revelation didn’t make Alex feel any less confused. Without missing a beat, Kara kicked Alex under the table. “Like I said, he’s new and he saw the two of us together at work and he just assumed we’re together.” 

 

“Oh,” Alex said, feeling supremely stupid for overreacting. “Sorry.”

 

Winn sniggered and she hit him upside the head.

 

“It’s fine,” Kara said with a chuckle. “Honestly, I took it as a compliment. If he thinks someone as beautiful as you would ever want to date  _ me _ , I must be doing something right.” Her genuine, loving smile only made Alex’s blush worse.

 

“Shut up,” Alex grumbled, trying to ignore the way Kara’s words made her chest and stomach explode with butterflies. 

 

Not something she would dwell on.

 

Nope.

 

“Just telling it how it is,” Kara whispered sweetly, before pressing a kiss against Alex’s overheating cheek. “I should be so lucky to date someone as wonderful as you someday.” When she pulled back, she looked pretty proud of herself, but Alex could barely pay attention to that, not with Winn holding a hand in front of his mouth while trying not to laugh.

 

Pushing a scowl onto her face, Alex punched him in the shoulder.

 

-

 

“Hey, sorry, I have to go,” Alex said, looking down at her watch. She had plenty of time, but having a conversation with Maggie and Kate still wasn’t on her list of favorite activities. Now, though, it was more about Alex’s wounded pride than any sort of romantic feelings. She was working on it, but she knew it would take time and practice.

 

“Got plans tonight?” Maggie asked casually, sipping on the drink she’d been nursing all afternoon. Alex knew that Maggie didn’t like to start drinking more heavily until at least eight PM. “A date with a lovely lady, perhaps?”

 

Snorting, Alex finished her beer. 

 

“Something like that,” she said, avoiding Kate’s friendly gaze. The woman had never been anything but wonderful to Alex, and by all accounts she was a great person… Alex just needed a bit more distance. “Kara is cooking me dinner.”

 

A strange look flit over Maggie’s face at those words, and Alex was on the verge of asking what the problem was, when she felt her phone vibrate against her thigh. 

 

Lifting up a finger, Alex slipped it free and looked down at the text message she’d just received.

 

It was from Kara, reminding her to leave the bar soon.

 

Alex smiled - her sister knew her too damn well.

 

“I guess that’s the Mrs.,” Kate said teasingly, right before Maggie elbowed her in the side.

 

“Oh, no, no,” Alex tried to clarify, pushing down that weird feeling she’d been having recently whenever Kara was around or someone mentioned her. “Just my sister reminding me that I need to be home soon.” The familial connection always grounded Alex and gave her the chance to chalk those new feelings up to how much she cared about Kara in a  _ sisterly  _ way.

 

“Alright, Danvers,” Maggie said, making a shooing motion with her hand. “Time to go home before Little Danvers starts to worry.” The weird look in her eyes had disappeared and Alex took this friendly dismissal as her cue to shrug on her jacket.

 

After giving both Maggie and Kate a hug (always an awkward affair), Alex walked out of the bar, waving goodbye to M’gann as she went. Once she was outside, she pulled out her phone and texted Kara back to let her know she was on her way.

 

The happy emojis she got in return made her smile and hasten her steps.

 

It didn’t take her long to reach Kara’s apartment on her motorcycle, and she hummed happily as she waited for the elevator to arrive at Kara’s floor. Tonight, she and Kara would be having a night in, far away from all of their problems with Cadmus and the DEO. 

 

Hopefully.

 

With a smile, Alex knocked on Kara’s front door and waited for it to open.

 

As soon as it did, Alex felt as though the wind had been kicked out of her. 

 

Kara looked absolutely breathtaking. Her hair fell in curls around her face, and she was clad in a beautiful green dress that stopped just above her knees. She’d clearly gone all out, and Alex felt a little underdressed in her dark jeans and soft, red sweater.

 

“Hey,” Kara breathed, leaning her shoulder against the doorjamb. “I’m glad you’re here.”

 

Swallowing harshly, Alex pulled her hand out from behind her back and presented Kara with the Langorian wine bottle she’d picked up at the bar. The gesture got her a sweet and lingering kiss on the cheek, before Kara pulled her inside by the hand and kicked the door shut behind them.

 

“It smells amazing in here,” Alex said, her voice thick and clunky with emotions she couldn’t quite name. Something felt different about this dinner. Maybe it was the fact that Kara had dimmed the lights in her apartment and had lit two candles on the dinner table in the corner. Or perhaps it was the way Kara was looking at her.

 

“Sit down.” Kara’s hand was warm and steady on Alex’s back as she led her over to the table, where she pulled Alex’s leather jacket off and motioned for her to kick off her boots. “I’ll get the food.”

 

“I can help,” Alex protested, almost out of her chair. Shaking her head, Kara pushed her back down and squeezed her shoulders.

 

“Don’t worry about it. Why don’t you pour us both some drinks?” Kara’s fingers indicated both the Langorian wine and a bottle of what seemed to be Alex’s favorite French orange juice. “Be right back.” Another kiss was laid against Alex’s temple.

 

Feeling decidedly unbalanced, Alex grabbed the bottle of orange juice and poured both herself and Kara a glass. A glance to the right revealed that Kara was barefoot. She looked absolutely stunning in her summer dress, and when she looked back to find Alex staring, she smiled.

 

For a moment, they held eye contact, before Alex forced herself to look away and take a huge gulp of juice.

 

“I didn’t think they sold this stuff here,” she said, trying to enjoy the rich fruity flavor on her tongue. It had been years since she’d last had it - years since she and Kara had been on their vacation to Paris after they’d both completed high school.

 

When Kara didn’t volunteer the information of where she’d bought it, Alex shook her head.

 

“You didn’t have to fly to Europe to get me juice, you know. I like the ones we have here just fine.” Alex was trying not to sound ungrateful, but it always made her feel a little guilty when Kara did nice things for her. She loved the attention, but a small part of her worried about asking for too much, when Kara already gave all of herself so freely.

 

“I know,” Kara said, shrugging one shoulder, “but I love you.”

 

Since it wasn’t likely that she’d follow up the statement with anything else, Alex mumbled back her own  _ I love you, too _ , before pouring the Langorian wine into Kara’s second glass. For herself, Alex picked up the bottle of root beer Kara had already opened for her and took a hearty gulp. 

 

She needed to calm down.

 

“Here we go,” Kara said softly as she set their filled plates down on the table. The sight of what Kara had prepared for her made Alex’s jaw drop.

 

“Creamy chicken francese?” she asked, feeling almost incredulous as she inspected the deliciously grilled chicken breast in the creamy light brown sauce. The sliced champignons appeared to have been grilled to perfection before having been added to the dish.

 

“Your favorite.” Kara’s words were so achingly gentle that Alex almost got up and left the room, just to hide her flaming red cheeks. “I appreciate that you’ve been working with Mon-El; I really think your lessons are helping him become a better hero and a better man.” Her fingers danced along the back of Alex’s neck. “You know he’s like the annoying little cousin I never got to raise and… yeah. It just means a lot to me.  _ You  _ mean a lot to me.”

 

Unable to stop herself, Alex vaulted herself to her feet and slung her arms around Kara’s body, holding her close in a grip that would have crushed any regular human. With zero hesitation, Kara returned the hug and nuzzled her nose into Alex’s shoulder. 

 

After a few minutes, Kara’s hands started sliding up and down Alex’s back in an almost hypnotic rhythm.

 

“Our food is getting cold,” Kara murmured directly into Alex’s ear, and it took everything inside of Alex to stop herself from shivering. “I didn’t spend my entire afternoon in the kitchen for us to not eat.”

 

“Alright, alright,” Alex said, pulling away from the hug and sitting back down. The food smelled amazing and she could already feel her mouth watering. “You didn’t have to do all this, you know.” She was pretty sure there was a dreamy smile on her face, and she tried not to look at Kara as she sat down so she didn’t have to see her loving expression. “I appreciate it, don’t get me wrong, but you know I’d do anything for you.”

 

“I know,” Kara said, making Alex smile even wider, even if that shouldn’t have been possible.

 

-

 

Absentmindedly playing with her pen, Alex leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes for just a second. It was late; the DEO was quiet. Almost serene. There were still a ton of people here, but they were scattered around the different floors and Alex’s lab was mercifully empty.

 

Kara was out patrolling the city and Alex just wanted to finish up this particular problem before going home and falling into bed. This week had been absolutely exhausting and if there was even one more emergency, she was going to sit on the floor and bawl her eyes out.

 

At least in her head.

 

What seemed to her like a few moments later, she felt a big gentle hand shake her shoulder, and Alex almost dropped the pen that had been resting on her thigh. A quick glance to her left revealed that J’onn had joined her.

 

“Hey, sorry. Pretty sure I nodded off for a second,” she said, rubbing tiredly at her eyes. Maybe Kara was right; maybe Alex  _ did  _ need to sleep more. She hadn’t passed out at the DEO from exhaustion in quite a while.

 

“I thought I’d check up on you.” J’onn smiled down at her as he shook her shoulder a few more times. “You should go home. Get some rest. I need my agents to be at their best.” The way he was looking at her made Alex feel exceptionally cared for, and she didn’t even protest his suggestion the way she usually would have. Even  _ she _ knew when to give in.

 

“Thanks for waking me up,” she said, getting up from her chair without bothering to clean up her desk. The lab always looked like this anyway and everyone knew that if they touched any of her stuff, there’d be hell to pay.

  
“Always,” he replied, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and squeezing her briefly. “What would Supergirl say if she knew I left you sleeping in the lab?” His words made her chuckle, because they were very close to the truth. The last time Kara had found her sleeping at her desk, she hadn’t been pleased with J’onn for not intervening and sending her home. 

 

He left the room with a wink, leaving Alex to her quiet yawn.

 

Rubbing her face with both hands, Alex rolled her shoulders back and forth in the way Kara had shown her to get the kinks out of her back. It was sweet how concerned Kara was about the wellbeing of Alex’s body, and Alex smiled to herself as she made her way towards the nearest locker room so she could change into her civilian clothing. 

 

She’d just pulled up her jeans, when she saw the screen of her phone light up with a new message.

 

Sluggishly, she reached for it.

 

The exhaustion was kicked straight out of her bones when she read Kara’s new message. 

 

_ SOS. My apartment _ . 

 

A cold shower of dread slid down Alex’s back as she zipped up her pants and buckled her belt as fast as she could. She didn't even bother changing out of her DEO-issued polo shirt before she grabbed the rest of her stuff and tore out of the locker room at breakneck speed.

 

In her hurry, she didn't even remember to call for back-up. All she could think about was Kara being in some kind of danger that only Alex could somehow help her with. Hopefully Kara would still be home by the time she got there. Home and alive.

 

That thought made Alex accelerate as she tore through the streets on her motorcycle.

 

The drive from the DEO to Kara’s apartment usually took her twenty minutes. This time, she made it there in ten. She didn't even bother to wait for the elevator. Instead, she took the stairs two at a time, and she barely kept herself from kicking down Kara’s front door when she reached it.

 

The key shook in her hand as she pushed it into the lock. 

 

Once inside, Alex called out for her sister, and when she heard an answering call from the bedroom, she took off running once more. She’d just about remembered to close the front door behind her.

 

“Kara! Are you okay?” Alex panted as she ripped open the bedroom door and stumbled through, sweat sliding down her face and neck. “What’s wrong?”

 

The sight that greeted her almost made Alex turn right back around.

 

“Nothing’s wrong now that you're here,” Kara said, patting the bed under her and smiling softly at Alex. She was practically naked - that was the first thing Alex noticed. The only clothes she was wearing was the electric blue lingerie the two of them had bought together a couple of months ago. There were candles strewn all over the bedroom, giving the whole room a warm and inviting glow along the edges. 

 

The whole scene was downright  _ bizarre _ .

 

“Kara, what the hell is going on?” Alex’s hand had been holding on tightly to the gun strapped to her belt, but she let it drop now that she could tell her sister wasn't in any danger. “What are you doing?”’

 

Kara gave her a wink. 

 

“Isn't it obvious?” she asked, as she kept lounging on her side. Though Alex noticed that Kara’s toes were twitching nervously. 

 

Shaking her head, Alex raked a hand through her hair.

 

“Seriously, are you alright? You’ve been acting… I don't know…” Alex licked her lips anxiously. “Did you get hit with red kryptonite again or something? Is that what this is about?” With an awkward flick of her wrist, Alex waved her hand in Kara’s direction to indicate how weird this moment was for her.

 

To her surprise, Kara only sighed and flopped onto her back. Next, she brought both hands to her face in clear exasperation.

 

“I’m trying to seduce you, Alex, Jesus flipping Rao. I’ve been trying to seduce you for  _ months _ .” She sat back up and gave Alex a piercing look. “How much more explicit do I have to be? I was trying to be romantic, you know? Subtle?”

 

Alex blinked.

 

Slowly. 

 

“Oh,” she said, dropping her hand from her hair. The words hadn't fully sunk in yet. Neither had what it all meant and what Kara was implying. 

 

That she wanted to be with Alex.

 

As more than sisters.

 

“ _ Oh _ ,” she said again, her hand finding her gun so she could regain some of her security and make sense of this situation. “You… do… you…” Kara was still staring at her. “Me?” Now Kara was rubbing her forehead. “Are you sure? But…” Alex shook her head to rid herself of the fog in her mind. “But I’m just… and you're so…”

 

At those words, Kara got to her feet. She looked absolutely gorgeous in the lingerie she'd purchased, and she seemed unperturbed by the fact that Alex had trouble focusing on her eyes.

 

“You're just… what?” she asked, stopping in front of Alex and lifting her hands so she could play with the lapels of Alex’s black polo shirt. “So… beautiful? So brave? Loyal?” Kara’s eyes were so full of appreciation that Alex had to look away. “Alex, how many times do I have to tell you how amazing you are?” 

 

Her fingers slid down and along Alex’s shoulders and towards her sternum. 

 

“Maybe I should have said something,” Kara conceded, her blonde hair falling in waves around her face as she hung her head. When she brushed it aside again, there was an amused smirk on her lips. “I know you're not the sharpest tool in the box when it comes to picking up interpersonal cues.”

 

The words almost made Alex bristle.

 

“That’s just rude,” she said, her mind still whirring with the information that Kara  _ liked _ her. In the romantic way. In the way that would mean more touching. More hand holding. More… 

 

“It’s also true,” Kara whispered teasingly. A second later, Alex felt Kara’s toes kicking her shoe, and her eyes flit down. In embarrassment, maybe? Worry? “I figured I could make you see me as something other than your little sister and that maybe you’d see that we’re sort of perfect. You know, for each other. But if you don't want to give this a try, that’s totally fine, too. No pressure.”

 

Alex’s cheeks were growing hotter by the second, and she had no idea how to deal with this revelation. 

 

Though she couldn’t deny that there was something inside of her that wanted to try whatever Kara was suggesting.

 

“Kara…” Alex’s voice was breathy and she cleared her throat to dislodge the frog that had found a home there in the last couple of minutes. Her hands shook as she placed them on Kara’s bare waist. The skin was warm - it always was - but today it felt almost burning to the touch.

 

“Are you angry with me?” Kara asked tentatively, the knocking against Alex’s shoe becoming a little more insistent. 

 

“No.” Alex shook her head.

 

She didn't know what to do.

 

“How do you feel about me?” Now it was Kara’s turn to whisper breathlessly.

 

Alex had never been good at expressing her emotions - or deciphering them, for that matter. It had taken her almost thirty years to work out that she was gay. And then she’d fallen for the very first lesbian who had shown her any kind of attention and care. 

 

“Kara, you know I’m shit at this kind of stuff,” Alex said honestly, furrowing her brows and squeezing her eyes shut. Now she was just angry at herself. Kara had been so damn brave and Alex couldn’t even give her a straight answer.

 

Keeping her head lowered and her eyes squeezed shut, Alex tried to figure it out. With Kara by her side, she knew she was safe. After everything they’d been through together, Kara would never leave her.

 

“I feel like… whenever you like someone, I want to keep you to myself. Whenever you're dating, I want to protect you. I wanted to push James out of a window for hurting you.” Alex pulled one of her hands from Kara’s waist to press it against her right eye instead. This was more difficult than she’d expected.

 

Silently, she thought back to all those moments from the last few months where she and Kara had been together. When she’d helped Kara with her dress, she’d wanted to kiss that smooth back. When Kara had given her that massage, a part of Alex knew that she didn't want Kara to stop touching her. And when Kara had told that story about having a cool girlfriend… Alex had been furious.

 

She almost flinched when Kara’s hand cradled her face, though she didn't fight it when Kara lifted her chin.

 

“What would you say if I asked you for a kiss?” Kara asked almost wistfully, taking a step closer so they were pressed together from head to toe. “Do you think that would help you figure things out?” 

 

Alex’s hands were both back on Kara’s skin, and she opened her eyes to see Kara’s face. Bright blue eyes were staring back at her, making Alex’s heart beat just a little bit faster. 

 

Kiss Kara?

 

It certainly didn't sound awful.

 

In fact, it sounded…

 

Surging forward, Alex covered Kara’s lips with her own, lifting both hands to cup her cheeks. Kara’s noise of surprise turned into one of enjoyment, which only made Alex feel more amazing than she already did. Because Kara’s lips were soft and smooth and seemed to fit perfectly against hers.

 

Kara's hands were fisted in Alex’s polo shirt and when Alex’s nails scratched along the back of her neck, Kara’s right hand gripped the material too hard. The ripping sound of black fabric made Alex pull away.

 

Panting, she looked down at her shirt.

 

“That’s hot,” she murmured to herself as she brought her hand to her tingling lips. “I can't believe we just did that.” Slumping into Kara’s embrace, Alex rested her forehead on Kara’s shoulder.

 

She wanted to kiss Kara again, she realized.

 

If the kiss with Maggie had been a firework, this damn thing was like the eruption of a volcano.

 

A very gay, very intense volcano. 

 

“Was that okay?” Kara’s fingernails scratched along the back of Alex’s head just the way she liked it. Only now, somehow, the feeling also made her feel other things.

 

Things below the belt.

 

Alex groaned in annoyance at herself.

 

“Do you want to go on a date with me?” Her words were almost muffled against Kara’s skin, but Alex had faith in her foster sister’s super hearing. “I’m sorry I’ve been such a blind idiot.” Pulling away from the embrace, Alex waved at Kara’s mostly naked body. “And put some proper clothes on, please? I’m gay enough as it is.”

 

The words almost came easy now, months after the first time Alex had quietly admitted them to herself in her head. 

 

For her part, Kara looked almost shocked. 

 

“That’s it? No ranting about how your mom is going to disown you? Nothing about how foster sisters aren't supposed to be dating?” Obviously, she’d been prepared for all kinds of moral resistance, and the thought made Alex smile.

 

Cupping Kara’s cheeks once more, Alex pulled her back down into another kiss - this one much more gentle than the last. It was slow, too. And when Kara wrapped her arms around her, Alex let out a comfortable, only slightly terrified sigh. 

 

“Kissing you is really nice,” Kara whispered, nudging Alex’s nose with her own. “I would love to go on a date with you. Anytime.” The hug she gave Alex bordered on crushing, but Alex didn't care. She reciprocated the embrace just as tightly, even though she still felt like she needed to adjust to this change in relationship. “I’m the luckiest girl in the universe.”

 

Rolling her eyes, Alex pinched Kara’s side, even though she knew Kara would barely feel it. “Sap.”

 

The jibe earned her another kiss, and if this was going to become the new norm, Alex definitely didn't mind. 

 

“You're dating that sap now. Imagine how much sappier it’ll get from here on out,” Kara said with a grin, before she gave Alex another kiss. And another one. By the fifth one, they’d somehow made their way onto the bed.

 

“This is very inappropriate, Kara, we haven't even been on a single date.” Alex’s hands had been placed firmly on the mattress a moment ago, but somehow her right hand had found its wait to Kara’s naked thigh instead. The little traitor. 

 

“We’ve known each other for twelve years, Alex, I think we’ll survive a little making out.” Kara’s nose nudged Alex’s again and the loving gesture almost made Alex melt. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this with you. As corny as it sounds, this is like a dream come true.” 

 

Under any other circumstances, Alex might have considered making fun of the situation they now found themselves in; but the sincere look in Kara’s eyes was so hopeful and happy that she didn't have the heart. Instead, she brought their lips back together and squeezed Kara’s thigh.

 

She could make fun of Kara and her sappiness another time.

 

Right now, she had different plans. 

**Author's Note:**

>  **Original prompt** : Kara has been in love with Alex for a long time and tries to seduce Alex after Maggie rejects her. She tries to subtly let Alex know that she's more than just her little sister and that she's a woman, too. A woman Alex can love romantically. It ends with a happy ending.
> 
> LOOK AT ME NOT HURTING OUR KIDS  
> i mean, i was explicitly told not to BUT STILL progress maybe
> 
> if you want to support me, find me on tumblr @goshdarnitjay!
> 
> All mistakes are my own.


End file.
